Prayer Request
God is about to do a new thing, Isaiah announces, and indeed, rivers flow in the desert. The psalmist responds: “Our God has done great things for us! We are filled with joy!” We go out weeping and come home rejoicing. Paul rejoices to know Christ Jesus and the power of his resurrection. New things are on the horizon! The old obedience to law has been transformed to being “in Christ”, Paul writes, “stretching forward to grasp hold of Christ who has already grasped hold of me.” Jesus embodies this new thing of God: totally undeserved forgiveness, mercy, tenderness in the flesh. “In the law,” Jesus is instructed by the Pharisees, “Moses commanded us to stone such women,” women caught in adultery. And such men? Jesus teaches them and us, never throw a stone.
What new things has God been doing in your life? Ask the Spirit to remind you. Listen. Take your time. When has your weeping turned to joy? How did that happen? How do you feel when you remember? Have you felt grasped by Christ –who will never let you go? If not, beg for that sure knowledge. Pick up each stone you have cast at someone or are likely to cast and put them in a pile. Then offer them to Jesus for transforming. Go in peace.
So many are sowing in tears around our ravaged world: Haitians, Chileans, Turks, Iraqis, Afghans, Nigerians, Congolese, Sudanese. Grasp hold, Jesus, and give them joy.